"Curcumin is the active ingredient in the traditional herbal remedy and dietary spice turmeric (Curcuma longa). Curcumin has a surprisingly wide range of beneficial properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity. The pleiotropic activities of curcumin derive from its complex chemistry as well as its ability to influence multiple signaling pathways, including survival pathways such as those regulated by NF-kappaB, Akt, and growth factors; cytoprotective pathways dependent on Nrf2; and metastatic and angiogenic pathways. Curcumin is a free radical scavenger and hydrogen donor, and exhibits both pro- and antioxidant activity. It also binds metals, particularly iron and copper, and can function as an iron chelator. Curcumin is remarkably non-toxic and exhibits limited bioavailability. Curcumin exhibits great promise as a therapeutic agent, and is currently in human clinical trials for a variety of conditions, including multiple myeloma, pancreatic cancer, myelodysplastic syndromes, colon cancer, psoriasis and Alzheimer's disease."

Bioavailability and dose

No effective dose has been established for horses.

Turmeric contains 2- 5% curcumin.Curcumin is poorly absorbed from the small intestine.

8 g of curcumin has been found effective in reducing tumours, this is the equivalent of 160 - 400 g of turmeric. Extrapolating a human dose to horses, this could be the equivalent of 1000 - 2500 g of turmeric per day.

Blood. Jan 8, 2009; 113(2): 462–469.Curcumin, a cancer chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agent, is a biologically active iron chelatorYan Jiao, John Wilkinson, Xiumin Di, Wei Wang, Heather Hatcher, Nancy D. Kock, Ralph D'Agostino Jr, Mary Ann Knovich, Frank M. Torti and Suzy V. Torti"these results demonstrate that curcumin has the potential to affect systemic iron metabolism. There are 2 important implications of these results. First, iron chelators have been shown to exert antitumor effects, both through the formation of redox-active iron complexes and by iron depletion. Thus, reduction in systemic iron resulting from the use of curcumin in the setting of a low-iron diet may contribute to the anticancer activity of curcumin. Second, curcumin may have the potential to contribute to the development of anemia in patients with marginal iron status. This may be an important consideration when curcumin is used to treat patients with marginal or depleted iron stores or those exhibiting the anemia of cancer and chronic disease."

Could curcumin help reduce horses suspected of having iron overload?Could curcumin be contra-indicated for horses with anaemia of chronic disease?

Toxicol. Sci. (June 2006) 91 (2):476-483Mitochondrial and Nuclear DNA Damage Induced by Curcumin in Human Hepatoma G2 CellsJun Cao, Li Jia, Hui-Min Zhou, Yong Liu and Lai-Fu ZhongThis research found that at high doses, curcumin imposed oxidative stress and damaged DNA, and concludes: "Consuming high doses of curcumin should be avoided, and the coingestion of piperine-containing foods with curcumin should be limited."

A Shehzad, S Khan, O Shehzad, YS LeeCurcumin: therapeutic promises and bioavailability in colorectal cancerDrugs of Today 2010, 46(7): 523-532Side effects reported: gastrointestinal upset, chest tightness, inflamed skin and skin rashes with high doses. Contact dermatitis has been reported. The chronic use of curcumin can cause liver toxicity and people with hepatic disease, misusing alcohol or taking prescription drugs that are metabolized by the liver should probably avoid curcumin. Curcumin is not recommended for people with biliary tract obstruction , gall stones, obstructive jaundice or acute biliary colic diseases. 20-40 mg of curcumin has been reported to increase gallbladder contractions in healthy people.

Turmeric - University of Maryland Medical Centre (updated May 2013)"Herbs ... can trigger side effects and may interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, you should take herbs with care, under the supervision of a health care provider."Turmeric in food is considered safe. Large amounts of turmeric taken for a long time may cause stomach upset and ulcers. Turmeric may lower blood sugar levels and when combined with medications for diabetes could cause hypoglycaemia. Turmeric may act as a blood-thinner.

Wuest S, Atkinson RL, Bland SD, Hastings DA Pilot Study on the Effects of Curcumin on Parasites, Inflammation, and Opportunistic Bacteria in Riding HorsesJEVS October 2017 Vol 57, Pages 46–506 horses were fed 15 g of 95% pure curcumin each day for 30 days and blood and fecal sample results compared to controls. Curcumin treatment had no effect on total fecal egg count, strongyles, or ascarids, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), although ESR decreased on day 14 in curcumin treated horses. Treatment had no effect on concentrations of Streptococcus bovis/equinus complex, Clostridium difficile, or Clostridium perfringens. "Curcumin was not an effective compound against intestinal parasites or fecal microbial strains examined when administered for 30 days; but could potentially decrease inflammation."

(in vitro) F1000 Research published August 2013Curcumin reduces prostaglandin E2, matrix metalloproteinase-3 and proteoglycan release in the secretome of interleukin 1β-treated articular cartilageAbigail L Clutterbuck, David Allaway, Pat Harris, Ali MobasheriThis research using cells from dead horses found that higher levels of curcumin (25μM and above) significantly increased chondrocyte (cartilage cells) death, but lower concentrations (12μM and below) had an anti-inflammatory effect and no obvious cytotoxic effects on cartilage. The paper concludes that curcumin may be useful for the treatment of inflammatory and degenerative disorders such as osteoarthritis, but that the bioavailability of curcumin may be low, care must be taken extrapolating in vitro results to use in live animals, and "further research is required to establish its bioavailability and physiologically relevant serum and synovial concentrations in vivo in humans and animals."

NB earlier research by the same team using only 25μM and above concentrations of curcumin in vitro established the toxicity of curcumin to cartilage and synovial cells: "DISCUSSION & CONCLUSIONS: Curcumin is cytotoxic to equine chondrocytes and synoviocytes at high doses. These results suggest that using curcumin as an antioxidant and proliferative agent in cultures of stem cells and progenitor cells should be approached with caution."

The Case for Curcumin - Eleanor Kellon, VMD, IVC Issue: V2I3"Three horses with prominent and/or growing and spreading melanomas were given 1 to 3 ounces/day of ground turmeric. In all cases, the growths shrank and the spread was stopped. Since the behavior of melanomas is unpredictable, this small number of reports cannot rule out the possibility that the growths would have quieted down or shrunk on their own."

Journal of the American Holistic Medical Assoc., 2009, vol. 28, no. 1, 11-15A PROMISING NATURAL THERAPY FOR EQUINE OSTEOARTHRITISThomas SchellNote that controls were not used, making this research of limited value, and the dose of curcumin used is not given. Also the product used was not pure curcumin, and the author had a strong bias.

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